Effect of moxibustion combined with benazepril on expression of IL-18 and phosphorylated protein kinase B in myocardial tissue of rats with chronic heart failure

Objective To observe the effect of moxibustion combined with benazepril on cardiac function and expression levels of myocardial interleukin-18(IL-18), phosphorylated protein kinase B(p-Akt) in rats with chronic heart failure(CHF), so as to explore its underlying mechanisms in improvement of CHF. Methods Fifty male rats were randomly divided into normal, model, moxibustion, benazepril and moxibustion+benazepril groups(n=10 rats per group). The CHF model was established by intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin hydrochloride solution(DOX, 2.5 mg/kg) twice a week for 4 weeks. After successful modeling, the rats in the normal and model groups were fed with normal diet, and fixed on a rat plate for 20 min each time without any treatment. Mild moxibustion was applied to bilateral “Feishu”(BL13) and “Xinshu”(BL15) for 20 min each time, for 3 weeks in the moxibustion and moxibustion+benazepril groups. Rats of the benazepril and moxibustion+benazepril groups received gavage of benazepril(2 mg/kg) once daily for 3 weeks. The general behaviors of rats were observed. The ejection fraction(EF), left ventricular diameter shortening(FS), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVIDd), left ventricular end-systolic diameter(LVIDs), heart rate(HR) and ventricular septal thickness(IVS) were examined by echocardiography. The content of serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and expression levels of myocardial IL-18, p-Akt were detected by Western blot. Results Compared with the normal group, the EF, FS, IVS, and myocardial p-Akt expression level were significantly reduced(P<0.01), and the LVIDd, LVIDs, HR, and serum NT-proBNP content and myocardial IL-18 expression level were significantly increased in the model group(P<0.01). In comparison with the model group, the EF, FS, IVS, and myocardial p-Akt were remarkably up-regulated(P<0.05, P<0.01), and the LVIDd, LVIDs, HR, serum NT-proBNP content, and myocardial IL-18 expression level were significantly down-regulated(P<0.05, P<0.01) in the moxibustion, benazepril, and moxibustion+benazepril groups. Compared with the moxibustion+benazepr group, the levels of LVIDs, HR, serum NT-proBNP and myocardial IL-18 expression were obviously higher(P<0.05, P<0.01), while the levels of EF, FS, IVS and p-Akt were significantly lower in the moxibustion and benazepril groups(P<0.01). Conclusion Moxibustion combined with benazepril improves cardiac function in CHF rats, and is superior to simple moxibustion and simple benazepril in reducing IL-18 expression and increasing p-Akt expression in myocardial tissue.